Protector
by Unlimited Depths
Summary: Ichigo is a protector. When Urahara is helping him reclaim his powers, Ichigo dismisses an illusion and finds his true powers. Then things change. (A brief retelling of Bleach through the end of the Soul Society Arc - massively AU).


It would be an understatement to say things were weird for Ichigo Kurosaki. Well, to be fair, weird just happened for Ichigo, what with being able to see ghosts for as long as he could remember. That was just the tip of the weird iceberg though. Then there was the seeing of a strange young woman – Rukia Kuchiki - in black and with a white masked monster, ending with him getting stabbed in the chest. Yeah, weird happened.

Now, he was standing in an absurdly large basement that must have been made though some kind of magic. Still, it wasn't the weirdest thing he had been through this week. No, that went to that jerk Captain of an older Kuchiki who moved freaky fast and stabbed him twice. The only reason he was in this strange place was the Captain and the red-haired minion had taken Rukia against her will back to Soul Society for the punishment of helping him gain the powers of Shinigami, or something.

He owed her too much. He was going to save her.

To do that required a bit of strength and the only way he knew how to ear back his powers of Shinigami was to rely on one of the shadiest people he knew, Hat and Clogs – Urahara Kisuke.

The crazily dressed man had helped him a bit but then threw him down a shaft after cutting his Chain of Fate. And now, he couldn't even see the pit. His eyes had lost focus a few minutes before.

White light flashed before his eyes as pain ripped through him.

/\/\/\/\/\

Ichigo opened his eyes. The pain was gone. Not gone, just not affecting him. Ichigo looked around, the pit was gone and he was standing in his inner world, a sideways world. His feet were firmly planted on the windows of a skyscraper that was laying on its side.

The clouds above floated lazily and Ichigo blinked as standing in front of him was a man in a wispy cloake with a ragged beard and awesome sunglasses. Ichigo ignored the man as he talked, there was something about this world that didn't seem right.

He responded as appropriate, but Ichigo was not focused on the conversation instead trying to figure out what was making him twitchy. Suddenly, the man said something that caught Ichigo's full attention.

"Could you repeat that last bit?"

The man growled something under his breath but spoke up. "This is your inner world, your mindscape if you will. Ichigo, everything here is a representation of you and your context. When you are sad."

"This is my inner world?" Ichigo repeated, interrupting the man .

"Yes and it is falling apart. When you are sad."

Again, Ichigo interrupted. "That is it. That is what was making me feel strange."

"It is always strange the first time you enter." The man agreed, finally moving off his point as the world started to tilt, "But now, this world is falling apart, it is destabilized. You need to find your powers of Shinigami to prevent the collapse."

As the strange man finished, the world started turning into cubes and falling out of the order of the sideways city. Ichigo was dropped into an abyss.

There was something many people forgot about the young man due to his hair color being a popular one for delinquents to dye their hair. He was not a punk. He was not stupid. He was in fact a top student in the class, ranked 23rd of all students in his school. He was, in fact, pretty smart.

Taking a deep breath, Ichigo watched the void of the ground for a moment, wind whipping in his face, before snarling, "Freeze."

The entire world did, the strange man still floating above him called down, unable to move. "How are you doing this?"

"Did you forget, purported aspect of myself, that I have read on the theory of mind palaces, self-control and discipline in regard to meditation? Or even the theories about being able to control self through breath?"

Ichigo chuckled before chuckling. "This is an overlay of my inner world, it does not represent me."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because, I have had terrible things in my past, my mothers death being foremost. People I couldn't protect, ghosts and the like. I had to learn how to trust myself again. I have had years of practice dealing with my emotional health and circumstances. This is not how my mind should be projected and you are not the representative of my powers of Shinigami. Now illusion, shatter."

At his snarled command, the world indeed splintered, and like glass fell away. The strange man disappearing with the illusion.

What was left was not a collapsing world, but a dojo. On one wall were a series of bookcases, each overflowing with notebooks. On another, there were a series of posters.

The posters included basic karate stances, anatomical references, and a depiction of the solar system.

A third wall was bare, but for a door.

The final wall had a collage. His father, his sisters – Karin and Yuzu, Ishida Ururu, Orihime Inoue, Tasuki Arisawa, Keigo Asano, Mizuiro Kojima, Chizuru Honsho, Rukia. His mother.

Ichigo stepped forward and placed a hand on the wall, a small smile coming across his normally stern face. He turned his head as he heard the door open.

"I am glad you made it here, wielder." The figure that spoke was a large, bear like figure. On its shoulder it had a Sode and it wore a Dou on its chest.

"You are my personal representation of the power of Shinigami?"

"How did you know that he was not yours?"

"He felt deceitful, slimy almost. And he was trying so hard to be melodramatically cool, kind of like my dad. That could not be my reflection."

"You have a long road ahead of you wielder."

"You are not what I expected."

"No, I am not, yet I am a reflection of you. Indeed, none truly expect the representation of themselves to be other than a perfect mirror or worse a mirror darkly. Instead, I am the reflection of yourself with your desires reinforced."

Ichigo sighed before nodding, accepting the point. "I need to wake up."

"Time does not move here like in the material world. You will be awake in time. You need to understand what I stand for in regard to your Power of Shinigami."

Looking at the various walls again, Ichigo moved to run his hands across the notebooks. Each it seemed was a collection of memories, dreams perhaps. Those relating to dark periods of times with the most wear.

"You are the representation of my desire to be the protector. But efficient, looking to help in the right place, in the right way, at the right time."

The figure seemed to hum its agreement.

Ichigo continued. "No need to study the basics of Karate as a sprit, but that must be my impression on you and my reflection for the need for efficiency. A simple strike is better than a missed complex attack. As you are me, our family and friends are here. They are why we do what we we. The bookshelves are our memories and our lust for knowledge, ways to help better. We are seeking out a better way."

The figure nodded, "That is fairly correct. I would not frame it as a lust for knowledge, instead electing to find a particular path and mastering it. Thus the books on Karate, a desire to master the physical and the mental."

"What is your name?" Ichigo asked.

The figure seemed to pause, as if surprised by the question. "I wonder, you know many cannot hear the name of their Zanpakuto for many years. Will your need change things. I am Fojitama."

"A pleasure to meet you Fojitama."

"A surprise indeed. Go, Ichigo, you have more to do in the material realm before crossing to the land of the dead. Call my name when you need me."

"How will I do that?"

"You know my name, use it."

/\/\/\/\/\/\

Ichigo's body was standing on the dusty ground, a broken handle of a blade in his hand. His face was not his though, instead a white bone mask covered it.

Rounded to fit his face exactly, a thin line of studs crossed the forehead. Pointed at the bottom with a wide, crazy grin in between. Two red stripes crossed from top left to bottom right. His eyes were completely covered, leaving only the impression of where eyes could have been.

Negligently, he lifted his hand and smashed the butt of the broken weapon into his forehead, cracking and dissolving the mask.

Standing across from the fully coherent and in control Ichigo was Urahara.

"Well, Hat and Clogs, what next?"

"You reawakened your powers of Shinigami?" The sandy blond haired man asked.

"Would I be standing here if I didn't?"

The green and white cloaked man shrugged. "Honestly, I don't have a clue. There was the possibility of a terrible tragedy, as well as a possibility of survival without power, and in one instance the destruction of Japan. It wasn't a fully tested procedure to be honest."

Ichigo held up the broken blade. "Ring, Fojitama."

He swung his arm down and at the bottom of the swing, he was holding a hammer. It was about three feet long from the base of the hilt to the top of the hammer. The striking part of the hammer was a square rectangle. No spikes, no claws, just a small hammerhead clearly designed to shape and mold metal.

Urahara blinked at the sight. "That is different then I was expecting."

"Really? Then you haven't been paying enough attention."

"Perhaps. But most Zanpactou are, in fact, blades."

"Fojitama is not most blades."

"What are we going to do with you, now?" Urahara muttered.

Ichigo shrugged, "Teach me how Shinigami fight?"

"I was planning on teaching you how to use your blade, through practical lessons. I guess we will need to be a bit more structured. Can you seal you Zanpactou?"

"Rukia never mentioned how and neither have you."

Urahara sat down with a thump. "Very well, come sit, it seems we will start on the basics. Work to hand to hand, and then if we have time before the journey, how to fight with that hammer of yours."

Ichigo nodded and moved to sit in front of the shopkeeper. As the two sat, Urahara started to explain.

"To seal a Zanpactou is fairly standard. Most of the time the release, or Shikai, is too cumbersome to deal with on a daily basis. Shinigami thus constrain the blade into something that Shinigami finds manageable to carry. I have my cane, others katana or other swords."

"It seems wise to be slightly deceptive then. A hammer release could be hidden by a sword. When I had Rukia's powers, my Zanpactou was quite large."

"The size of a Zanpactou reflects both the power and control of the Shinigami, a powerful Shinigami must make an effort to keep the sealed blade an appropriate size. The process is quite simple, it mostly takes practice and patience. The release of Shikai is a coming together of Shinigami and their Zanpactou. Sealing a blade is to reduce that connection to the point where the blade returns to a suitable base form."

Ichigo nodded. "I see, so it is a letting go of the release?"

"Roughly, what you need to do first is . . ."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Ichigo stretched, before slamming Fojitama onto the piece of metal draped over an anvil. Again and again, he hit out in the warm room Urahara had built for him one night. He got the measurements of his friends and had determined specific pieces to create for them – based off their fighting styles as he understood them.

He knew how was coming with him to Soul Society to rescue Rukia. He knew they would need disguises, but a little bit of metal protecting them would not be amiss either. Especially not reiatsu infused metal. Besides, Chad, Inoue, and Ishida were not sword wielders. They would look strange and out of place without blade.

Which meant Ichigo wanted to get them a weapon. Ishida got a katana, just to piss him off. Chad received a pair fo sakizashi and Inoue was given a tanto.

The three had also gotten reinforced Shihakusho, which Ichigo was now working on for himself, along with some other pieces of armor.

Working next to him was the manifestation of Fojitama. Neither said anything, instead, they enjoyed the time of working over the hot forge together to create something with utility and beauty.

Ichigo knew he had a monstrous amount of spiritual energy and power. He could go toe to toe with a slightly limited Urahara, a former Taicho of the Gotei 13 – according to the strange man

Ichigo still couldn't defeat the genius, but he gave as good as he got. Still, with his reiatsu, only a Taicho or equivalent should be able to pierce through the armor.

As he slammed his hammer in one more time, he voiced a question. "Shikai focuses on support, through creation. However, I am guessing there will be a time when we must attack."

Fojitama snorted. "Sealed, I am a blade. That should help you deal with all but the Fukutaicho or the Taicho."

"You know as well as I do that I will be forced to face those sooner or later."

"My Shikai is primarily support, you are right, but a strike from the hammer is powerful nonetheless. Remember, you are learning a lot from Urahara. Hakuda, shunpo, some kido. Use those to get into position to land the last strike."

"And the Taicho?"

"You will need Bankai."

"Need what?"

"Bankai, the second release is the purest manifestation of the Zanpaktou. Generally speaking, they are large, eruptions of power that change landscapes and destroy bodies."

"That sounds like something that needs a lot of training."

"Why do you think we are in the Forge?"

Ichigo paused, looking at the final piece of his own reinforced Shihakusho. "You are a smith, a creator Zanpaktou spirit. We, together, over time will forge the Bankai?"

"Almost."

Again, Ichigo was silent as he put the piece onto a mannequin. "Then," Ichigo started, his mind whirring as he grabbed needle and threat to install the final piece, "Bankai is not about power, it is about understanding. I need to understand myself and through myself, you. By understanding the drive, focus, and determination, we create trust. In trust, we become unified and Bankai is the result."

"Combine the two."

Ichigo looked up. "I forge something for you, here or in the mindscape as a demonstration of trust and you provide me with Bankai?"

"Go on."

"In working the forge together, we are starting to develop that understanding and trust. It won't be enough, I will not achieve Bankai until we are in Soul Society."

"Most likely."

"My Shihakusho is done. I think some additional armor would make sense, let's start with a Sode."

/\/\/\/\/\/\

Urahara stood in front of the Reishihenkanki for accessing the Senkaimon. Behind him stood the four teens and a black cat, ready to start their assault on Soul Society.

"Once you go, there is no return. You are stranded there until the Shinigami send you back or I get enough time to invent a way to rescue you."

Urahara looked at the four. Ichigo stood in front, arms crossed, with his sealed Zanpaktou in the form a wakizashi. On his left arm was a Sode at the shoulder, and then a full length armored gauntlet stretching from his second knuckle to the Sode. His right arm had a gauntlet covering his hand and forearm. Under his pant legs, he also wore shin guards.

Chad and Inoue wore the reinforced Shihakusho. Other than that, Inoue's hair pins of her Shun Shun Rikka held her hair up and back, out of her eyes.

Chad was simply Chad, as was Yoruichi, the black cat.

Ishida wore a white suite with a long white overcoat announcing his status as a Quincy. He had refused the Shihakusho, or at least to wear it.

"I understand," Ichigo said as he stepped forward, his friends mimicking him exactly.

Urahara sighed, "Very well."

Turning he started the incantation and soon the small band was rushing into Soul Society.

/\/\/\/\/\

After being rebuffed by Gin at the gate to the Gotei 13, Ichigo and his friends found themselves at Kukaku's home. Instead of engaging, letting his friends do so, Ichigo sank into his mindscape.

Waiting for him was his forge.

"I did not expect an easy entrance, but I also did not expect a Taicho to be among your first opponents." Fojitama said.

Ichigo shrugged, "With my goals, it was bound to happen sometime. I am just grateful that Chad was able to defeat the guard and that the reinforcement helped."

Fojitama nodded and gestured to the Forge. "We will not touch the anvil tonight but instead will talk. Because the next time you forge will be Bankai training. You will have three tries to forge that which I am thinking of."

Ichigo rolled his neck out, stretching. "And our discussion over the next several days will be to help me figure out what I would be forging?"

"That is correct."

"What are the rules in guessing?"

"I will not answer any guesses you make. Instead, your guesses will be your three tires at the Forge. The only other guidance I will give you is that what you will forge is one piece. It is not multiple pieces."

Ichigo looked at the wall with the pictures of important people. Urahara and his 'family' from the shop and Yourichi had been added.

"I understand."

"I am sure you think you do. However, I doubt it. My test is among the hardest and I only give it once every decade. If you fail, you will be unable to reach Bankai for at least another ten years."

"Fojitama-sensei, I think you misinterpreted my statement. I know what I am going to Forge for you."

Fojitama grinned, leaning forward. "Do you now?"

Ichigo put a hand on the wall with the collage. "In our earlier discussions, we talked about the fact the Zanpaktou is a reflection of the self. An ideal of an aspect, a mirror brightly if you want. You exemplify exactly who and what I want to be. I want ot create a better world for tomorrow where my family and friends are safe. That is why you are a creator, a craftsperson. I want to protect and that is colloquially the sword and the shield. As such you are the blacksmith."

Ichigo paused, looking Fojitama in the eyes. "Shikai is to assist in those goals. By releasing you, we create that which is needed to protect, defend, and to a degree attack."

Fojitama merely nodded his acceptance as Ichigo continued.

"Bankai is slightly different. As you described it, Bankai is an explosion of force. It is the step beyond strong into a power unassailable except by another Bankai."

Fojitama waived his paw as if to encourage the thought process.

"Yet, you have also described it as the purest representation of myself and my Zanpaktou as one."

Ichigo turned to the wall again.

"As we inhabit the same body, you know, as well as I do, what I strive for. I struggle with patience and understanding, people can be so frustrating. Shikai helps work thorugh that. I am trying to be better and to do better for my family and friends. And so, together we can protect them, even when separated."

Ichigo shifted, stepping deliberately to the back wall with the anatomy posters for karate. "I know I am gruff, some would say mean even. I have my issues. I am somehow happy to destroy those who come into my path and I am grateful for that power, it is another tool to protect those important to me. I am short-tempered and impulsive, Bankai is likely to reflect that."

"To a degree." Fojitama murmured.

"Bankai is who we are. We are fire, we are fury, we are the deliverer of pain and revenge. We are the result of what happens when you push too hard and too much. Bankai is dangeroud."

Ichigo turned to face Fojitama again.

"Shikai is my desire to protect, Bankai is my frustration when I cannot."

"You should talk with another who has Bankai before coming to any conclusions." Fojitama remarked.

Ichigo nodded, "It is a good idea. However, and I know you do not want to hear an answer, a guess yet. I believe I will forge a Sasumatta with a chain to a jutte, which will be detachable."

Fojitama blinked. "Why?"

"I want someone to hurt for their crimes. But I am not a killer at heart. Otherwise, my will to protect would have been some kind of blade. Revenge can be carried out through justice and the only way for justice to be properly served is through judicial process."

"You surprise me?"

Ichigo tilted his head as Fojitama explained.

"That is much better than I expected. With that fire and fury talk, I thought you would suggest some blade made of fire or a club with nasty spikes."

Ichigo blinked.

Fojitama smiled and continued. "You should still attempt to speak to a Bankai user, it would be informative. However, you are correct. I am looking for a Sasumatta. However, this is not the time and place. We will know the time when the place is right."

Shrugging, Ichigo smirked, a change from his normal frown. "It looks like I have some plans to start with."

/\/\/\/\/\/\

Entering the Gotei 13 from above was one hell of a trip, splintering the group apart and sending them rocketing apart. Ichigo rolled his neck, standing in the middle of a courtyard. He was looking at a tall white tower in the distance.

"Hey, who are you?"

Ichigo turned around to see a bald Shinigami standing next to another Shinigami with feathers in his hair.

"Yo." Ichigo replied.

A tick appeared above the bald man's eye. "Yo? What? Look punk, tell me your division!"

"Doesn't matter." The feathered man said.

"Why not?" Baldy asked.

"It is clear to anyone that a mindless beast like this is on of the infiltrators we were sent on patrol to stop."

"Is it?"

"No way to know for sure until you beat him up."

"I do love a good fight."

The bald man started to dance, on his toes, hip gyrations, a whole body wiggle. Ichigo pointed at him while looking at the feather man. "Is he, you know, all there?"

"Of course not, but he will still hurt you immensely."

Ichigo shrugged. "I guess two on one isn't bad odds.

"Oh no, duels with the Eleventh Division are one on one."

"Perhaps for you," Ichigo snorted, "But I would prefer one fight rather than two. Seems more fair that way."

"Too bad you don't get a choice and unfortunately for you, you will never get your hands on my gloriousness."

"Done, alright intruder, let's fight."

Ichigo nodded and slipped into a solid karate stance. The bald man spit to the side. "One of them fake ninjas from the second. Can't even properly wield his Zanpaktou, no doubt."

The bald man pulled his sword out of the scabbard, which he held in his off hand. Ichigo watched as the man leapt at him.

Instead of blocking, Ichigo jumped to the side, lashing a punch at the attacker's ribs only to be blocked by the scabbard.

"Interesting, ambidextrous." Ichigo muttered, smiling, "Bring it baldy."

"BALDY?"

The man started swinging away, without much flair. Still, a number were wider then they needed and the rhythm of attack kept changing. Ichigo was easily able to keep up and, on rare occasion, was able to tag the man with a punch.

"You seem fairly one step, if I keep your arms busy you can't attack? Well then, what if I take things up a notch. Extend Hozukimaru!" The bald man called out.

The man placed the butt of the sword into the opening of the scabbard and with a flash of power held a spear. Ichigo's eyes seemed to flick up and down the shaft.

Ichigo smiled as he firmly planted his feet. "You are going to be disappointed."

"Why?"

"Your blade will never reach me."

"What is your name?" The bald man demanded.

"I am Ichigo Kurosaki, I am going to rescue Rukia and go home."

"Eleventh Division, Ikkaku Madarame."

With that, the bald man attacked, stabbing and uising the full staff of the spear to attack. However, Ichigo refused to move his feet and resolutely blocked every attack.

"If that isn't enough, let's try this. Split, Hozukimaru!"

Two seams emerged and the spear transformed into a Sansetsukon.

"Are you fast enough to keep up with me?"

Ichigo changed his stance slightly and launched himself forward, left hand grabbing Ikkaku's face. Twisting, he threw the bald Shinigami, Ikkaku, into his firend. Following up, Ichigo leapt into the air and planted both feet into Ikkaku's stomach.

The strike knocked the bald man out of the fight as he struggled to find breath. Crawling out from under him, the man with the feathers stood up and bowed. "Eleventh Division, Ayasegawa Yumichika."

"That tall tower, is that where I can find Rukia?"

"You are quite rude and unfashionable. Yes, and most likely the Taichos an Fukutaichos."

"Are you going to insist on fighting as well?"

"I should, it looks better in the Eleventh to fight and lose rather than to run away."

Ichigo nodded, "I will make it quick then."

/\/\/\/\/\/\

It took a while for Ichigo to make it to the White Tower. A thin bridge with side rails connected a door to the cliff face. Below one of the men who had come to take Rukia, a Rengi, no, a Raigi? No, right, Renji had been dealt with fairly easily. After all, the red haird man had no idea what to do with someone who used his blade to pin the extending saw-toothed sword into the ground without damaging it.

Ichigo smirked as he started across the bridge. If this was the level he had reached, it may be a bit smoother than he thought. After all Renji was a Fukutaicho. The question was how much more dangerous was a Taicho?

Hopefully the others, Inoue in particular, were alright. After he got Rukia out, he would need to figure out how to contact them and where to meet up.

A shadow appeared in front of him, coalescing into Byakuya Kuchki.

"You really are a pest." The stuffy man said.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow, "Am I now? Here I was thinking I was supporting someone who needs it."

"The law is the law. She violated the law and the punishment, while harsh, is the punishment."

"Then perhaps you should not be here fighting me, but instead fighting for leniency."

"I will not be party to violating the law."

"Who said anything about that?" Ichigo demanded, "The punishment for the law should make sense and there should be mitigating factors. My path is towards being a doctor, not a lawyer, but I am sure any lawyer will tell you that there is nothing fixed and final."

"Be that as it may, I am here, now. As are you. You will not break her out of her punishment."

"You are one of them Taichos, right?"

The man, nodded, long black hair shifting in the wind.

Ichigo cracked his knuckles under his gauntlets. "I don't know if I can beat you. Especially if you pull out your Bankai. Which you would probably need. Well, let's see if I am underestimating myself."

"Confident for someone who has only been a Shinigami for less than a year."

"Perhaps, or perhaps I know something you don't."

"You can't even see me when I move."

"That is what you think. Anyway, I have things to do. Why don't you leave?"

"I cannot and will not."

Ichigo took a deep breath and slid into a comfortable karate stance. Unlike the start of the battle with Ikkaku and Renji, he reached to the small of his back and pulled out his wakizashi. The blade was a black and silver mix, the handle wrapped with leather, and the tsuba decorated with two smith's hammers.

Before either of them could say anything more or even move, Yourichi appeared, dressed in leggings and an orange sweater.

"Byuaka-chan!"

"Shionion."

"I can't let you fight little Ichigo yet. When is the execution?"

"In four days."

"Then, I will have him at the Hill, ready to take you down." Yourichi said, before grabbing Ichigo by the ear and pulling. A second later, they were gone.

/\/\/\/\/\

Urahara, the mad scientist he was, had modeled his training ground under his store to match the training ground he created in Soul Society. Yourichi and Ichigo glared at each other as they sat down in the secret location.

Ichigo was not pleased, arms crossed.

Yourichi was the first to speak though. "What were you thinking taking on another Taicho? You barely survived your fight with Zakari Kenpachi?"

"Figured I had to go through them anyway."

"You are lucky I got there, he would have turned you into paste."

"Then what were you doing?"

"Buying time."

"Are you going to respond in more than a few terse words?"

"Not yet."

"Fine, look, what we are going to do until the date of execution is to train you up. Unlock your Bankai and train with it a little. That way you can go in like a handsome knight, survive, bust a few heads, and hopefully bust out Rukia."

"Perhaps, Yourichi, do you have a Bankai?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Have you ever wondered why some Shinigami seem fated for their Bankai and others strive endlessly without ever seeming to make progress?"

"Not really, I am a fighter. I punch people. Only the Kenpachi's can get away with being a Taicho without a Bankai, every other Taicho has achieved it. As have some Fukutaicho."

Ichigo smirked at her. "Philosophy can be interesting sometimes. I think it is a question of reflection and self understanding more than anything else."

He uncrossed his arms, "Look, think about hat maniac Kenpachi. Does he understand why he has that bloodlust? What does it mean that he feels most alive when his life is on the line? Does he understand that his Zanpaktou is going to be related to that bloodlust somehow?"

"Probably not."

"But Kuchki, he does. He spends time in some form of meditation or another, most likely. Anything from tea ceremonies to actual mediation."

"You are quite right, it is a requirement of the Noble families."

"In that time, he has taken the opportunity to talk with his Zanpaktou. In talking with that idealized mirror of himself, he learns about himself. He has to accept things he may not otherwise confront."

"Come on, Ichigo, we need to get to training. Hurry along to your point."

"Do you wonder why I never use Shikai?"

"Not really, I just assumed you didn't need it to win the fights you were in. You should have used it against Kenpachi."

Ichigo hummed before calmly calling out, "Ring, Fujitama."

In his hand was his smith's hammer.

"My blade, my Zanpaktou, is a representation of me wanting to protect. The clothes and armor I gave my friends has my Reiatsu to protect them while we are apart. I use Shikai not to fight but to prepare."

"You are going somewhere, but honestly Urahara would be a better person to talk with."

"Bankai is about coming to an understanding with yourself about who you are at your core. That is why they are so powerful. Think about it, Shikai is an aspect, Bankai is a pure manifestation of yourself. I don't need much more time to reach Bankai. I just need a forge and a couple of days."

"I don't understand. To reach Bankai is to subjugate your Zanpaktou."

"No, that doesn't make sense. Why are you dominating part of yourself? Bankai is a fusion, an expression of your purest self."

"Why do you need a forge?"

"Fojitama is not one impressed by how you can fight, he is impressed by the mind and the understanding of self. He has given me a test and I just need to pass it. We have already discussed how I will pass it, but to complete Bankai, I need to forge and give Fojitama that which makes up the core of Bankai."

"Urahara is a tinkerer, an inventor. Take a look around, I would not be surprised if there is a place in here for you." Yourichi said, "But, if it is not working by tomorrow, we will use the tool for Bankai Urahara developed."

"Sounds good. Anyway, I have a request while I do this."

"What is it?"

"I heard that a Taicho was killed, stuck to a wall. My friends would never do or be able to do something like that. Could you find out what is going on roughly? And see how my friends are?"

Yourichi nodded, "I will take a look around, see what I can turn up. I will be back tomorrow. Just, please, stay here until I get back."

Ichigo hefted Fujitama, so the flat of the head was in front of his eyes. "No problem. I have something that I need to do. Besides, I think I need to upgrade some other armor as well."

/\/\/\/\/\/\

Ichigo tossed the Susmata to Fujitama late that night.

"It is after midnight young one, you had time to complete this in the morning."

Ichigo shook his head. "I am confident in what we make, I am confident in our answer. However, I want to make sure I am right, because, if I am right I can sleep. In the morning we can start training with Bankai and figuring out what else needs to be forged. If not, I need to forge my second answer."

"You know you are correct. Bankai is yours."

Ichigo let out a deep sigh of relief.

"In fact, you are quite right about a number of other things. The focus has not been on fighting with Shikai, but we should work on that a bit. As well as learning the powers you can use in Bankai."

Ichigo loooked up as Fujitama smirked and continued, "The basics is to just swing the hammer. However, you said it best. We are of fire and fury. Do you really think a hammer is all that I am or can be on the battlefield?"

Shrugging, Ichigo replied, "I saw and could understand how the other Zanpaktous seemed to work. I figured that was a big added skill to having you as a partner."

"Yes, but I am a smith. I am of fire, iron, steel, copper, salt, water, and oil."

"The elements of smithing, in part."

"We can use those elements in battle. Then my Bankai is more that that. The Sasumata is used to subdue an opponent. What does it mean to restrain someone who can turn their weapon into flower petals or fire itself?"

Ichigo paused before replying. "I can disable their Reiatsu, their powers."

"Something like that, we have much to do. Go, sleep."

"Before I do, I have a question. When I use Bankai, why is it a restraint? I understood the logic and extention of myself. However, you mentioned and I can see the idea of a naginata or an ordachi as a weapon to destroy my foes entirely."

"You and I, we are the same. I am but a reflection of you."

"Yes, but that doesn't answer it. I at times want to crush and kill."

"But we want to be and are better than those who cannot think on the battlefield and whose only instinct is to kill, regardless of circumstance. We capture because we are protectors. Sometimes we have to protect the enemy from ourselves and sometimes we have to protect our enemy from themselves."

/\/\/\/\/\

Yourichi returned as the sun was setting. She perched on a rock as Fujitama and Ichigo paused in their training.

"I am glad you sent me out to investigate. The quality fo Shinigami seems to have dropped from a hundred years ago."

Ichigo and Fujitama looked at her for a moment before Fujitama bowed and faded from view.

"Oh?" Ichigo asked.

"Right, so the dead Taicho is a man called Aizen Sosuke. He is bad news. Urahara and I dealt with him before we headed to Earth. He really messed with the fundamental nature of a number of our friends. I don't understand all the science and stuff, but he bent the boundary between Shinigami and Hollow. We can introduced you to his victims back home."

Ichigo held up a hand as his eyes darted back and forth, as if trying to read answers in the air. "Powerful?"

"More than he was. He was able to create an illusion so powerful as to convince us a random Shinigami was him, allowing freedom of movement."

"Doesn't sound like a murder victim."

"That was my conclusion as well, how can you tell?"

Ichigo looked up into the glowing green eyes of Yourichi, in her cat form. "My family runs an emergency clinic. We deal with death and people dying all the time. Suicides, murders, they don't get people like that, most of the time. This is a set up. Especially with it happening so close to our arrival."

"It was the morning after we arrived."

"He is trying to pin the blame on us for something."

"That is my thought as well, and he has help."

"More incidents?"

"In a lot of locations. Either you all have Taicho speed and are working on some madcap scheme or he is pulling something together with his allies."

"Ishida might be that fast, but still." Ichigo paused, "Say we are an immensely powerful Shinigami who can warp the rules of the universe. Clearly, I am either bored and looking for fun, or I have a goal. Rukia."

Yourichi rolled her eyes. "Not everyone is obsessed with that girl."

"No," Ichigo said, "The execution date keeps moving, always up. When we first talked about coming, we had what a month. Then we heard two weeks, now it is in a couple of days."

"That is true."

"The only reason for that and to get free range of movement is to pull a surprise at the execution in order to get something."

Yourichi nodded slowly, "The only thing he wouldn't normally have access to is the form of the condemned. He wants something in Rukia. Damn Urahara, he did something."

"Aizen wants it. And it is up to us to make sure Aizen doesn't get what he wants. Which brings us back to the other reason we are in this cave. I need help with my Bankai."

"That is between you and your Zanpaktou."

Ichigo stood, holding Fujitama and called our, "Bankai."

As the smoke cleared, Ichigo spoke up, "Would you be willing to spar?"

Yourichi grinned as she turned into a woman, "Bring it."

/\/\/\/\/\

Rukia had been lifted into a crucifix position hanging in midair ready to be utterly destroyed by the Sokyoku blade. Ichigo, however, appeared in front of her as the massive blade struck, catching it on his armored left arm.

"Rukia, I am here to rescue you."

"WHAT?"

"You heard me."

"How did you? Why? There are Taicho here. What are you doing?"

"Rukia, we have it under control. There is a lot you missed, but we have a plan. Just relax. Got it?"

"No, not at all."

The massive blade pulled back and Ichigo pulled his short blade out, "Ring, Fujitama."

He spun, hammer swinging through the air. Ichigo murmured as his hammer smashed into the side of the thrusting blade, "Shatter Shot."

It exploded, allowing Ichigo to leap onto the crossbar and break the millennia old wood. A moment later, he was standing there with Rukia on his shoulder and hammer in hand.

"Are you alright?"

"I was ready to die."

"And now?"

"I don't know."

Ichigo nodded, "Understandable. Now, this is going to get messy."

With that he dropped to the ground, letting her stand behind him after he landed. He smirked as the four Fukutaicho advanced under their Taicho's orders. Most of the Taicho left as they did, leaving Byakuya to deal with the problem.

Ichigo rolled his shoulders. "Strange, I would have thought someone stopping an execution would have been the most important threat. I know the others are around, but they are laying low."

He twirled his hammer before bending slightly to put it down, head first, on the ground. He straightened and then waved the Fukutaicho forward. "Come then."

The four, all wielding their Shikai, advanced. Ichigo blurred out of existence. To those who could see them, he moved with grace and purpose. The four went down hard.

"Sorry about that, but you are really not that important."

"Am I?" Byakuya asked from behind him, next to Rukia.

"No, I am waiting for the one behind all of this."

"I cannot let you stand a free man without consequence after destroying Soyokyu. You spit on the pride of the Shinigami."

Ichigo sighed, but did not respond.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura."

The blade drifted on the wind as light pink flower petals. With a flick of his hand, the petals stopped drifting and shot at Ichigo. He lifted his armored left arm to shield the attack, the petals bouncing off and unable to cut.

Another thrust of the endless petals lead Ichigo to jump over the attack and advance towards Byakuya.

"You left your blade behind. Are you that confident?" Byakuya demanded.

"My Fujitama is content at the moment. There is no need to involve him in the battle yet. I may not be as strong or as skilled in the Shinigami arts as you, but I can make the fight cost more than you are expecting."

The petals drifted between the two combatants, Byakuya trying to keep some distance between Ichigo and himself.

Ichigo was fine letting the battle drift. The target was not here yet and hopefully he could put of demonstrating any techniques until then.

"Really, you think you can delay me?" Byakuya growled, "Very well, I will teach you not to underestimate Shinigami."

"I don't have any particular desire to see your Bankai. There is a more opportune time for this conflict."

"You talk as if you have achieved Bankai. How much can you disrespect and disregard our traditions?"

"What?" Ichigo asked, confused at the turn of the conversation.

"Bankai is reserved for the best and brightest Shinigami. It is something that takes decades to manifest and even longer to master. You claim to have achieved something of this magnitude so quickly after obtaining your powers of Shinigami?"

"Perhaps there are other factors, including the fact I am not dead yet." Ichigo replied as he backed away to his original starting position, he picked up his hammer.

If Byakuya was going to release Bankai, he would need at least Shikai.

Byukuya huffed, "My duty is to defeat you as fast as possible to ensure your plans fail. I did not desire to release Bankai, but I will do so to ensure peace for the Gotei 13."

"That is stupid."

"Your presence here is an attack on the Gotei 13 that cannot and will not be tolerated. Bankai."

With that, Byakuya's blade reformed before being dropped and sinking into the ground. Two rows of blades started to piece through the ground, standing tall.

A muttered, "Scatter," and the blades collapsed into an uncountable number of pink petals, blotting out the sky.

Ichigo did not move, instead, waited.

Byakuya continued his attack, a massive wave of petals roaring forward, seeking Ichigo's blood. Instead of dodging, which Ichigo thought he could do, he held his hammer straight and called out, "Smelt Sheild."

The petals crashed into a fiery metal, some melting from the heat. However, none breached the defensive move.

Byakuya did not seem fazed, sending additional waves in multiple directions to strike at Ichigo.

A burst of shunpo later and Ichigo's hammer strike was met about a foot in front of Byakuya's head by a shield of petals.

"I will take you out if I have to." Ichigo said.

"An intruder like you should have the decency to just die."

"Our definitions of decency are clearly very different."

Ichigo disappeared as petal closed in on either side.

The younger man was holding back as much as he could, but the speed and insistency of Senbonzakura was driving him to his limits and beyond.

"Fine, you want to go. Let's go. Bankai!"

Ichigo's hammer flashed before transforming completely. The Sasumata that replaced it was about six feet long. Ichigo's armor changed as well. Instead of blending into the black of his Shihakusho, his armor now was clearly over the cloth. His Dou and Sode were a deep red, as were the three Kusazuri. His head was now protected by a Kabuto, without a mask. Of course, his arms were protected by Kote and his legs by Haidate and Suneate. He wore a black cloak under the Sode.

In short, he was in full samurai armor.

He looked like a monster from the Edo Period ready to wreck the world around him.

"You are such a strange fighter. Spitting on our pride." Byakuya muttered.

Ichigo snorted, but did not respond.

"I will destroy your Bankai." Byakuya said, taking a step forward.

"Remember, you forced me into Bankai using the limits of yours. I am holding back."

Before Byakuya could respond, Aizen appeared, standing over Rukia.

"What is taking the two of you so long? I was expecting to be here alone with this young lady or her remains."

Ichigo turned, without embellishment. "I was waiting for you."

"Oh?" Aizen asked.

"I am here to stop you, Aizen, and rescue Rukia."

"And what do you need to stop me for?"

Ichigo smirked, "You have been working with complacent people for too long. Yourichi brought me exactly the information necessary, you are defecting."

"I am not defecting. I am reaching for a higher calling. There is an empty throne and I am going to claim it."

"I am sorry," Ichigo said, "That is a calling that will have to do without you."

"You, a child who has barely learned Bankai is threatening me?"

"Perhaps, but I am your worst nightmare." Ichigo said as a bone white mask, with red stripes going from crown to chin through his eyes appeared. The studded crown seemed to continue through the Kabuto. From the thin eye slots, Ichigo's eyes burned yellow.

With that, Ichigo lunged forward, the double prongs of the Sasumata thrusting at Aizen. The man took off his glasses, running a hand through his hair before grasping the weapon in his free hand and stopping the attack.

"A frontal charge? If I am such a threat, then why such a simple attack?"

"Since when do Zanpaktou only have simple strikes?"

Aizen gasped as he fell to his knees, hand still touching the metal. "What?"

"My Shikai is essentially the power of infusion. My Bankai is the reverse, the power of absorption."

Ichigo started walking forward slowly, meticulously. As he did, there was a burst of Reiatsu, connecting with a number of people including Rukia.

Ichigo's Sasumata was no pressing Aizen's hand against his neck as the area around the two filled with most of the Taicho and Fukutaicho of the Gotei 13. Gin and Tosen were the last to arrive, appearing behind Aizen.

"What are you absorbing?" Aizen gasped, breathing labored.

"What is the purpose of a Sasumata?"

Aizen did not respond, though the First Division Taicho, an old man with a white beard touching the ground did. "A Sasumata's job is to subdue and control a suspect without killing them."

Ichigo nodded and asked, "A Shinigami's power is derived from?"

"The Zanpaktou spirit and Reiatsu." Yourichi answered, standing next to a younger woman.

Ichigo nodded, "I am absorbing and breaking the connection between Shinigami and Reiatsu, in turn disrupting the connection to the Zanpaktou spirit. In shour I have subdued and control you."

"No." Aizen growled, eyes narrowed.

As he did, the sky split as several Menos tore through the sky. A moment later and Negation had fallen over Gin and Tosen. The two started to be lifted in the air. A third Menos seemed to be looking around before withdrawing without acting.

"How?" Aizen growled as his allies disappeared into thin air, literally.

"No Reiatsu, no way to find you. Aizen, your problem is not your ambition or the steps to get there. Your problem is that my Zanpaktou and my powers are the exact thing to stop you from reaching your next step."

With that, Aizen finally passed out as Yourichi gave him a kick to the back of the skull. Reaching up with his free hand, Ichiog pulled the mask off and it disintegrated, hidden from the view of the official Shinigami. The former Taicho of the Second Division took the binding cuffs off of Rukia and placed them on Aizen.

"This a is a start, but they will need more." Yourichi muttered.

Ichigo raised and eyebrow, "Do I need to light the forge?"

The old man stepped forward, hearing the question. "We have techniques and ways to bind him appropriately."

"Very well," Ichigo shrugged.

He stepped back and his Bankai melted back into his hammer, which then shrunk into the short blade. He then sheathed it at his lower back, he looked at the man with a smile. "You are quite welcome."

"There is much for us to discuss, Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Perhaps."

"You wish to return to the living world and certain steps need to be taken for that to be allowed to come to pass."

Ichigo nodded and turned to Rukia, "I told you I was here to rescue you."

She, with all the tact she could muster, hit him on the head.

With that, the sun set on the rise of Aizen.

/\/\/\/\/\


End file.
